Amid the turmoil in the Middle East and the daily attacks on democracy here at home, we want to remind our colleagues that it’s been a year since 534 of us—including our shining star and sorely missed Jane Goodall—lent our voices to a collective plea for NGS to stand up against an all-out attack on science by the new administration. On April 22 (Earth Day), we sent a follow-up letter to the board reinforcing that urgent message. We received no response.

During this past year, the value of science itself was tested in our country—and its worth was vigorously affirmed. Outcry from voices like ours, and tens of thousands of others, from all walks of life, have persuaded Congress to cut very little, if anything, from the budgets of our leading federally supported scientific organizations. We should take a moment to celebrate that.

Sadly though, the assaults continue in key areas where the administration continues to hold outsize leverage—most notably, climate change. Whole departments, even tangentially climate-focused ones, are being cut, billion-dollar satellites to measure climate effects scuttled, and crucial decades-long datasets ended and discarded. Most dangerously, three weeks ago the administration finalized its rescission of the EPA’s 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding—the foundation of nearly all federal climate regulation of greenhouse gases. There’s a real chance the Supreme Court will uphold the ruling in the near future, which would cripple efforts by subsequent administrations to confront this most urgent—and deadly—challenge.

This is a year of celebration for NGS, with the opening of its Museum of Exploration. Visitors will appreciate the Society’s innovations in photography and cartography, its far-flung geographical discoveries, its role in the creation of the nation’s parks, and its revelations in scientific fields from paleontology, archaeology, and climatology to human origins and animal behavior. These achievements came at a time when what NGS did, and what it stood for, were woven vividly into our cultural fabric.

We’re proud to acknowledge that the organization, with its global media reach and trusted reputation, has been a convincing voice in the fight against climate change disinformation. NGS holds a unique and potent mandate to further this crucial effort, but the worry among many of us is that the Society’s voice has gone silent. In this period when climate fatigue has set in, allowing disinformation to gain ascendancy, it has never been more important for National Geographic to take up that mantle again—to be open and vociferous about the extreme urgency of addressing climate change. No less important is all of our voices: We’re part of the army that fought last year’s assault on science. So, let's put aside whatever despair and hopelessness we're feeling and dedicate increased energy and commitment to the unfinished work.

In one of her last essays, published in Terry Garcia’s book, The Future of Exploration, Jane wrote: “I see our species at the mouth of a very long, very dark tunnel. Right at the end is a little star of hope. We can’t just sit at the mouth of the tunnel and wish that hope will come to us. We have to roll up our sleeves, crawl under, climb over, work our way around all the many, many obstacles... I do hope you will rise to the challenge, inspire and help those around you, play your part. Find your reasons for hope and share them with those around you. Together we can. Together we will. Together we must save the world.”